Dispensing and display device



June 7, 1938. J BURGESS 2,119,700

' me A n Filed March 23, 1936 ffimmim Ma VZEIIIII" T vim 1N VEN TOR.

wmsw M/zaws Patented June 7, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2419.706 nrsrsnsmc ANDmsrmy nnvrcs Jackson Burgess, Freeport, Ill., assignmto Burgess BatteryCompany, Ireeport, 111., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March23, 1936, Serial No. 70,274

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination display and vending device forsmall objects such as flashlights, dry cells or other cylindricalobjects of this character. It may also be used with an- 5 gular objectssuch as small boxes, cartons, and

the like.

It is an object of the invention'to provide a device of this characterwhich is of such an open nature that the objects are clearly visible fordisplay purposes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such an open displaydevice from which the objects may be removed one at a time from anopening therein, the arrangement being such ,1 that after the removal ofone object another automatically takes its place until the supply in thedevice is exhausted.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of thecharacter described in which any misarrangement of the objects orimproper functioning of the dispensing operation can be detected by mereobservation and corrected by a simple adjustment from the exterior ofthe device.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of thecharacter described in which the remaining supply of objects is plainlyvisible at all times.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a device of thecharacter described which may he stood upon a supporting surface or hungupon.suitable support, whichever is more convenient.

The single figure of the drawing is a perspective view of the displayand dispensing device of this invention.

The device comprises an open framework of wire, although it may becomposed of any suitable metallic rods, bars, strips, soldered or weldedtogether, or of, wood strips, suitably nailed or gluedtogether, or of aplurality of plates or sheets of wood or metal cut away to form the openframework and suitably shaped and attached together. The preferredconstruction, however,

45 is of welded or soldered metallic rods or wires.

The framework comprises main top members l and II, bottom members l2 andI3 and side members II and l5. ;Side members I l and I may: be integralwith bottom member l2 as 5 shown. The side members l4 and i5 each have asubstantially vertical upper portion, a substantially horizontal lowerportion and a curved intermediate portion connecting the upper and lowerportions.

55 Attached to upper member ill and lower memthe other frame members.

ber I2 and extending therebetweenin directions substantially parallel toside members 14 and I5 are minor framemembers ii. In a similar manner'minor frame members 18 extend between main top member II and mainbottom member I3 and are arranged substantially parallel with Each pairof adjacent members I is composed of a single rod or wire turned at thelower end to form loops II, which loops are bent upwardly substantiallyat i right angles to form stops as will be explained hereinafter.

Members II are arranged in a row extending sidewise of the device andmembers l4, l5 and I6 are arranged in another row spaced rearwardly frommembers IS a distance equal to slightly more than the diameter of thesmall flashlight type dry cells 20 shown in the drawing. It isunderstood that the device is adapted for use with objects of othershapes, as stated heretofore, and that the frame members may be spacedto conform with the dimensions of an such objects.

Additional minor frame members 2| are attached between top member Illand bottom member l2 and members 22 are attached between top and bottomframe members II and I3. Mem-' bers 2i and 22 are spaced apart adistance slightly more than the length of the cylindrical dry cells 20.Minor frame members 2i and 22 are arranged in'a row substantiallyparallel'with the other frame members and a short distance forwardly offrame members l4, l5 and l6.

. Considering the portion of the device toward the left side thereof asit is shown in the drawing, the frame members form an elongatedcompartment which is open ended at the top and closed at the bottom byloop I! into which the dry cells may be inserted from the top with theirlongitudinal dimension extending sidewise of the device. The dry cellsare confined at their tops and bottoms between frame members 2| and 22and at their sides between a pair of minor frame members I6 at the rearand a pair of minor frame members l8 at the front of the device. Aftereach cell is inserted in a compartment it rolls or slides to the bottomof the compartment where it is stopped by loop I1. Each additional drycell is inserted in a'similar manner and descends in the compartmentuntil it strikes the preceding dry cell and in this manner thecompartment may be filled to the top while the dry cells aremaintalned'therein in a single row extending from the bottom to the top;v

Front frame-members I8 are shorter than rear 5 frame members 16 at thelower end of the device, and bottom main frame member I3 is arranged ashort distance toward the top of the device with respect to bottommember l2. This distance is sufficient to permit the removal of one drycell from the lower end of the device. After one dry cell has beenremoved the remaining dry cells in that compartment automaticallydescend until the succeeding bottom cell reaches loop I! and is stoppedthereby. The curved slope of the compartment is arranged so that themovement is positive but not violent. In this way the removal of the drycells may continue one at a time from the lower end of the compartmentuntil the latter is empty.

Four such compartments are shown to be arranged in a single row in thedevice illustrated. It is obvious that any desired number ofcompartments may be provided in the same row, or a plurality of rows maybe provided according to the arrangement which is preferred. The deviceillustrated has one additional compartment arranged centrally of thedevice and forwardly of the row of compartments described heretofore.Top frame member 23 for this compartment is attached to top main framemember II and bot- 7 tom frame member 24 for this compartment isattached to the lower end portions of minor frame members l8 andattached between top frame member 23 and bottom frame member 24 arelongitudinal frame members 25 and 26 which are parallel to the rest ofthe longitudinal frame members and arranged to form a compartmentadapted to confine a row of dry cells 21 therein. This compartment isadapted to receive dry cells of a different size than the dry cells inthe balance of the compartments. Frame members l8, which are therearward frame members for this last compartment, are formed from asingle wire or rod which is bent upwardly substantially at right anglesat the bottom end to form a loop [9 which acts as a lower retainingmember. Longitudinal members 25 are shorter than members l8 and framemember 24 is arranged in such a position as to provide an opening at thelower end of the compartment whereby dry cells 21 may be removed one ata time. Dry cells 21 may be inserted at the top of this compartment andremoved from the opening at the lower end thereof in a manner similar tothat described in connection with the other compartments.

An additional frame member 28 is attached to frame members l4 and I5 andis so shaped as to form a foot which cooperates with the lower endportions of side members H and I5 to support the device in an uprightposition on any suitable surface. Top frame member In is provided withlocal upwardly bending portions 29 whereby the device may be hung uponnails or other suitable supporting means which will be engaged by theconcave sides of the looped portions 29.

' The device is adapted primarily for use by dealers to display anddispense the contained goods to prospective customers. It is apparentthat the open character of the framework of the device renders theobjects therein plainly visible for display purposes. Furthermore, thedealer can at all times observe the remaining supply of the goods andthe need for replenishment. A simple and effective means is provided formaintaining one of the objects at the opening of each compartment andavailable for dispensing to a customer. In the event that: one of theobjects becomes turned so that it is wedged between frame members andwill not move, it is a very simple matter to observe which of theobjects is stuck and to adjust it through the open framework to theproper position, when it will move in the manner intended.

,The device is not only suitable for use with cylindrical objects butalso with objects which are angular in form since the latter slide downthe smooth metallic rods or wires substantially as readily as acylindrical object rolls down the compartment. While the last remainingangular object in the compartment may not slide of its own volition tothe bottom of the compartment when the last preceding object is removed,it is only necessary to insert a few additional objects when the effectof the steeper portions of the compartment causes the additional objectsto push the first one to the bottom of the compartment.

While but one embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described,it is understood that the invention is not limted thereto but is limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

' I claim:

1. A combination display and vending device comprising a framework openupon all sides, said framework being composed of spaced slender membersso shaped and arranged as to form a plurality of elongated compartments,each compartment having a steep open-ended upper portion, a moregradually inclined substantially closed-ended lower portion and a curvedintermediate portion joining said end portions, the lateral dimensionsof each said compartment being such as to accommodate the objects to bedisplayed, a side of each said compartment being open at the lower endportion thereof for an area sufficient to permit the removal of one ofsaid objects from said compartment.

2. A combination display and dispensing device comprising an openframework of elongated members, said members being arranged in aplurality of substantially parallel rows, said rows being spaced fromone another, the spacing between the exterior rows being such as toaccommodate between said rows one dimension of the objects to bedisplayed, the members of an intermediate row being spaced apart adistance such as to accommodate between said members a differentdimension of said objects, said members comprising steep upper portionsand more gradually inclined lower portions joined by intermediate curvedportions, one of said exterior rows, at the lower end thereof,terminating short of the lower end of the other exterior row, some ofthe members of said second exterior row being turned substantially atright angles at the lower ends thereof, and members extendingtransversely of and being connected to said substantially parallelmembers for maintaining said substantially parallel members in saidspaced relation, and means for supporting said framework upon a support.

3. A combination display and dispensing device comprising an openframework comprising main top, bottom and side members, minor framemembers connected to and extending between said top and bottom mainmembers, said main side members and said minor members comprising steepupper portions and more gradually inclined lower portions and curvedintermediate portions, some of said members being arranged in two spacedrows to accommodate between said rows one dimension of the objects to bedisplayed, and others of said members being arranged between said rowsand spaced apart to receive between them a second dimension of saidobjects, the members of one of said rows being turned at an angle at thebottom ends thereof to provide stops for said objects, the other of saidrows, at the bottom end thereof, terminating at a point short of thebottom end of the first of said rows to provide openings for the removalof said objects from said device, and means for supporting saidframework upon a support.

4. A combination display and vending device comprising a framework openupon all sides, said framework being composed of spaced generallyvertically-extending, slender members so shaped and arranged as to forma plurality of elongated, generally vertically-extending compartments,and transverse connecting slender members for holding the longitudinalmembers in compartment-forming position, the lateral dimensions of eachsaid compartment being such as to accommodate the objects to bedisplayed, each compartment having an open-ended upper portion and asubstantially closed-ended lower portion,

a side of each said compartment being open at the lower end portionthereof for an area sumcient to permit the removal of one of saidobjects from said compartment.

5. A combination display and vending device comprising a framework openupon all sides, said framework being composed of slender, steeplyinclined longitudinal members spaced apart to form a plurality ofelongated, steeply inclined compartments down which objects may slide,and slender transverse connecting members holding the longitudinalmembers in compartment- Iorming position, the dimensions of each saidcompartment being such as to accommodate and maintain said objects in asteeply inclined row, each compartment having an open-ended upperportion for the insertion of said objects, and a substantiallyclosed-ended lower portion, the upper inclined side of each saidcompartment being open at the lower end portion thereof for an areasufllcient to permit the removal of one of said objects from saidcompartment.

I JACKSON BURGESS.

